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Leymah Gbowee — Liberian Peace and Women’s Rights Activist - Forbes magazine compiled a list of exceptional African women under 45 who are making strides on the continent and abroad. Take a look. Gbowee founded Women Peace and Security Network Africa, an organization that trains and empowers women in Africa to bring peace to their own countries. In 2011, Gbowee was one of three female recipients who were awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.  (Photo: Kyodo /Landov)

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Cina Lawson — Togo’s Minister of Post and Telecommunications - Prior to taking the post with the Togolese government, Lawson worked in telecommunications at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Lawson holds degrees from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and was named a 2012 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. (Photo: Twitter/cinalawson)

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Lisa Opoku Busumbru — Ghanaian Chief Operating Officer, Goldman Sachs - Opoku Busumbru is the chief operating officer for Goldman Sachs’ securities division for the Asia Pacific region.(Photo: Facebook/Lisa-Opoku-Busumbru)

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Juliana Rotich — Kenyan Co-Founder of Ushahidi - Rotich is executive director of Ushahidi, a Nairobi-based tech company she co-founded that specializes in developing free and open source software that aggregates and curates crisis data on a real-time basis and collates the data into live, interactive maps.(Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

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Rainatou Sow — Guinean Founder of Make Every Woman Count - Sow is a social justice advocate and women’s rights activist who founded U.K.-based non-profit Make Every Woman Count, which monitors women’s rights across Africa. (Photo: Courtesy Make Every Woman Count)

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Maud Chifamba — Zimbabwean 14-year Old University Student - The Zimbabwean prodigy made history this year when she became the youngest student in the country to enroll in college. She was admitted to the University of Zimbabwe where she will major in accounting. (Photo: University of Zimbabwe)

Photo By Photo: University of Zimbabwe

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Leila Lopes — Angolan 2012 Miss Universe - Lopes was crowned Miss Universe on Sept. 12, 2011, becoming the first Angolan woman to win the position, the fourth African to win the title and the second Black African woman to win following Mpule Kwelagobe from Botswana in 1999. (Photo: Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images)

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Isha Sesay— Sierra Leonean News Anchor and Journalist - Sesay reports for CNN’s “African Voices” and “Inside Africa.” She also anchors on CNN International and appears as a contributor on several of the network’s other programs.(Photo: Courtesy CNN)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy CNN

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Biola Alabi — Nigerian Managing Director, MNET Africa - Alabi is managing director for the multi-national cable and satellite content company, MNET Africa. (Photo: Twitter/biola.alabi)

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Lorna Rutto — Kenyan Founder of Ecopost - Rutto founded Ecopost, a company that converts consumer plastic into durable, easy to use and environmentally friendly plastic lumber — an eco-friendly alternative to timber. (Photo: Courtesy Cartier Women's Initiative)

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Yolanda Sangweni — South African Senior Editor/Producer, ESSENCE.com - Sangweni is senior editor at ESSENCE.com and co-founder of AfriPOP!, an online magazine focusing on contemporary African youth culture, music, fashion and film.(Photo: Courtesy ESSENCE)

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Marieme Jamme — Senegalese CEO of SpotOne Global Solutions - Marieme Jamme is CEO of U.K.-based SpotOne Global Solutions which helps IT organizations establish a global footprint in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. (Photo: twitter/mjamme)

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Danai Gurira — Zimbabwean Actress and Writer - A graduate of New York University’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, Gurira is now one of the lead characters on the popular AMC show The Walking Dead. Some of her other acting credits include appearances on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Life on Mars, Lie to Me and Treme on HBO. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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Eunice Cofie — Ghanaian Founder and Chief Cosmetic Chemist, Nuekie - Cofie is the president and chief cosmetic chemist of ethnic dermatology company Nuekie.  (Photo: Twitter/eunicecofie)

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Jacqueline Chimhanzi — Zimbabwean Corporate Executive - Chimhanzi is a senior strategist with the Industrial Development Corporation, a development finance institution.(Photo: facebook/jackie.chimhanzi)

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Jepchumba — Kenyan Founder of African Digital Art - Jepchumba is the founder and creative director of African Digital Art, an online space that showcases African artistry and cultivates innovation and convention among emerging artists. (Photo: Courtesty African Digital Art)

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Redi Tlhabi — South African Journalist - Tlhabi hosts the “Redi Tlhabi Show” in South Africa and has interviewed prominent newsmakers including Nelson Mandela, South African President Jacob Zuma, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.(Photo: Twitter/RediTlhabi)

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Swaady Martin-Leke — Ivorian Founder of Yswara - Martin-Leke left behind a high-level position at General Electric in 2011 to launch luxury tea company Yswara. (Photo: facebook/swaady.martinleke)

Photo By Photo: facebook/swaady.martinleke